When you, or someone you love, has been involved in an accident, you are left vulnerable. Our Calgary personal injury lawyers will assist you with the litigation process.  The lawyers at Vogel LLP have worked on both sides of personal injury law and have a unique understanding of how insurance claims work.

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident for which another person is primarily at fault, you should do the following as soon as possible:

1. Contact the police and provide the necessary information to complete an accident report;
2. Advise your insurance company of the accident;
3. Seek medical help, immediately; and
4. Seek legal advice to ensure that you minimize your losses and maximize your gains.

After the accident, an insurance adjuster representing the other driver will probably call you. The adjuster’s job is to settle your claim as quickly and cheaply as possible. You are not obliged to provide them with any information, as it will likely be used against you.

If you settle your claim with the adjuster, it is likely final. You will have no further recourse against the other driver, regardless of the medical problems that you may suffer from later on.

The full extent of some neck and back injuries may not be apparent for several weeks – or even months – after the accident. It’s important that you take the time to assess your injuries before you settle your claim. Follow the advice of your medical and other health care practitioners.

What Do Our Calgary Personal Injury Lawyers Offer?

Our team of lawyers at Vogel LLP offer a wide range of legal services for our personal injury area of law and include (but not limited to):

• Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Bone Fractures 
• Brain Injury 
• Wrongful death 
• Spinal Injury
• Chronic Pain 
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents

If you do not see your specific category under our personal injury services, please call us at (403) 255–2636 to verify the case with us as we do cover every area of personal injury law.

Why Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer?

Having a lawyer on your side will give you the space to concentrate on your primary goal; recuperating from your injuries. By stepping in to deal with paperwork and procedures on your behalf, we protect you from being harassed by anyone (especially insurance adjusters) while you are recovering. Retaining a personal injury lawyer early on will protect your rights.

As you may know, Alberta’s Insurance Act recently changed so as to reduce injury payouts; those changes might not apply to you. You should consult a lawyer to determine if these changes affect you.

How Does The Legal Process Work?

Many personal injury claims can be resolved outside of court. If you have to sue, the first step is to issue a Statement of Claim against the responsible driver. In Alberta, you must file this document within 2 years of your accident to preserve your rights. Do not delay; your lawyer requires time to collect proper evidence for your claim and to meet legal deadlines.

If your claim cannot be settled with an insurance adjuster, then a Statement of Defence filed on behalf of the responsible driver will ultimately answer the claim. The amount of your settlement will be determined by your ability to prove that your injuries are or were caused by the accident. You will need evidence from your medical caregivers, private investigators, and independent and expert witnesses.

More serious claims require formal legal proceedings such as “Questioning”.

Questioning allows each lawyer to ask the opposite side questions which are relevant to the case. The questions and answers are under oath and recorded by a court reporter. After the Questioning, each side reassesses your claim and settlement discussion may occur. Under the Rules of Court, litigation must proceed to some form of alternative dispute resolution. As such, your claim might be subject to mediation or Judicial Dispute Resolution.

In the unlikely event that a settlement is not reached, your case would go to trial and be presented to a judge. He or she will hear the evidence and make a ruling as to who was responsible for the accident and the value of the damages you suffered.

The Value Of Your Personal Injury Claim

We will attempt to determine the fair value of your claim throughout the course of your matter.

Remember that your claim may have many parts that must be considered, some of which are:

1. General Damages which compensate you for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life;
2. Economic losses are geared to recovery for any impact for missing time from work or failed/delayed career advancements;
3. Special Damages compensate you for your actual out-of-pocket expenses in relation to your recovery; and
4. Cost of Future Care is paid to compensate one in advance for projected expenses that one will require in the future as a result of their injuries.

How Can I Afford A Lawyer?

You may be wondering how you can afford a lawyer, especially if you are unable to work and therefore have a limited income after the accident. Most lawyers will take your case on a percentage of contingency fee basis. This means you do not have to pay for legal services until your claim is settled and funds are received from the other side. Fee agreements are usually based on results: your lawyer does not get paid unless your claim is successful.

At Vogel LLP, we are very experienced in the field of personal injury claims. This information, however, does not replace legal advice. Please call our Personal Injury Lawyers Calgary for a free consultation if you have suffered a serious personal injury resulting from a motor vehicle accident. We will be happy to answer your questions and help you with your claim.